WELCOME TO HELL
I’m fashionably late to the party, as per fucking usual… While streaming DOOM: The Dark Ages on Twitch (CariMurph on Twitch) a friend in chat recommended I try out a game I’d never heard of. While I regularly play rhythm games in the form of Clone Hero and more than occasionally ACCIDENTALLY shooting to the rhythm of my playlist or in game soundtracks in FPS games… Metal:Hellsinger sounded RIGHT up my street!
Metal: Hellsinger is the combination of really fucking cool FPS AND rhythm game. You're probably imagining that concept to feel pretty corny… but let me tell you, with a layered soundtrack tied into game mechanics, FULL of metal’s most talented names, otherworldly weapons and a cast of TERRIFYING trash to turn to dust… this game has quickly become one of my favourites.
Loading up the game I was immediately struck by the voice actors… where had I heard them before? As an avid World of Warcraft gamer (SINCE VANILLA!) I recognised Jennifer Hale’s iconic vocalisation immediately! This isn’t her first time leading an army of miscreants, appearing as Grand Magistrix Elisande, a major boss and leader of the Nightborne, in the Legion expansion's The Nighthold raid, in Metal:Hellsinger she looms as The Red Judge, mistress of hell itself.
Accompanying Jennifer in the role of my FAVOURITE character, immediately endearing and progressively so as the lore unfolds: Troy Baker as Paz the skull. Troy, too, has a huge resume of video game and on screen roles, most notably as Joel Miller in The Last of Us Part I and II. On more than one occasion I found myself mimicking this Southern American Skull while asking Mum what was for dinner!
DOOM, BUT MAKE IT RHYTHM
Spawning in, it only took me a few minutes to work out the user interface, probably a record for me with my accessibility needs, I was pleasantly surprised! That doesn’t make this game simpler, just easier to understand. As with other rhythm games you receive “points” for hitting on the beat, successive on-the-beat hits activate cool shit, fuck it up? You essentially lose that streak and there are consequences. In this game, rhythm hits and higher streaks mean you rise in “fury”, the really fun part about this? The soundtrack changes depending on how you’re doing! Starting with a simple drum beat, you UNLOCK the other instruments and vocals, with heart racing crescendo!
As a learner drummer with pretty good rhythm despite of/thanks to my restless leg syndrome! I cannot begin to tell you how fucking cool it feels to hit on the beat and build this momentum in the soundtrack. I’m a HUGE metal fan and once I’ve gotten the likes of Trivium’s Matt Heafy or Arch Enemy’s Alissa White-Gulz screaming in my headset, I’m sure as shit not going to lose them!!!
Initially, my viewers and I felt the game felt very “DOOM with rhythm” but this cast is led by some really fucking strong characters who deserve to stand in their OWN spotlight, with lore I wish they’d write books on! It’d be great to read about Unknown and The Red Judge more and Paz’s origin story in full.
The DOOM comparison is a cheap one, I feel, they’re both set in hellish landscapes, they have a metal soundtrack. What IS true is that they both have sick fucking weapons and a chorus of chaos trying to take you out in a variety of different ways. I don’t think the reference is insulting, the DOOM franchise is INSANE and I’d be taking it as a compliment if I’d worked on this game, however, what’s clear is that, while flavours of Slayer’s catalogue appear here, Metal: Hellsinger does so much with it’s own recipe and FUCKING WELL.
HOT AS HELL
It would seem misogny hasn’t reached the depths of Hell because these badass bitches missed the memo… When I realised that both the protagonist AND antagonist were strong female leads, my inner feminism skipped a beat! Or rather, HIT the beat!
The animation makes these girlies look as hot as their backstories. One fighting for the voice the other has just taken from her. Modern day society, much? From the first pixels I was drawn to and fell for both of them, I LOVE an underdog on a hellbent mission but who doesn’t always fall for the villain too?!
Summoning aspects reminiscent of Lilith from Diablo as “mini bosses” for each Hell felt intimidating and sexy at the same time. Choosing outfits for Unknown that range from scantily clad siren to mirthful mercenary, you have a costume for pretty much every eventuality… I’m pretty sure they stink after what I’ve put her through but I’m sure there’s an underground market for them after use!
My “hear me out” is definitely The Red Judge… she’s grotesque and skeletal, an osteopath’s dream… or nightmare… but what she lacks in skin she makes up for in unbridled power and domination, PHWOAR!
I think the fact we don’t have a “name” for Unknown makes her even more mysterious and that really adds to her allure, in my book. If she was on Tinder I think she’d skip the bio section but she’d link a sick fucking playlist!
WEAPONS, WALLS AND ABSOLUTE CHAOS
The sword… THE SWORD can we talk about the weapons yet?! DOOM’s got BFG and Metal:Hellsinger has BIG FUCKING SWORD. I felt so powerful wielding this beast of a thing, aptly named Terminus as there’s not much left of what you use it on! A skele serpent-esque hilt spitting out a ginormous tongue-like blade… THAT is a knife!
Each weapon has its own “ult” a super charge activation for building hits with catastrophic effect. My FAVOURITE was definitely the double speed sword action which when activated, allows you to violently swish around in quick time! It’s force of habit now that when the guitar chugs signal my ult as being active, I “dundundundun!” audibly along with them, much to everyone’s amusement and encouragement!
This game really plays on enemy types and their varying attacks, for example, you don’t want to be round the front of or feel the cleave of a Behemoth but you can successfully wipe out an army of Marionettes with pretty much one swing of your Terminus. Seraph with their beam of “holy light” were particular ARSEHOLES but I found they can be swiftly dealt with when using the ult on your sword which surprisingly, gets a fair bit of range when powered up!
This game isn’t tap tap tap to the rhythm and all will be well, oh no, there were times I had to dash for cover and thankfully found that I could line of sight incoming wrath from some real pricks! There are REAL mechanics to this game and working them out blind was both fun AND rewarding, I SURVIVED!
Speaking of survival… I signed up for GOAT mode, the game has a few difficulties, more that unlock as you play the campaign. I wasn’t going in to LITERAL HELL for anything less then 2 revives but story mode is for wimps… that’s what my Mum tells me anyway!
The aspect fights for me were my favourite, where I REALLY sat up in my gamer chair. There are disappearing plates, spinning wheels, a BARRAGE of inferno in different shapes and patterns, Guy Fawkes would have loved to see them!
I definitely made use of my two respawns regularly and annoyingly had to redo that particular level when I’d used up my bargaining chips/gained points across that run to actually use the res. It always comes at a cost! What felt overwhelming at times with plenty of I’LL NEVER FUCKING DO THIS inner monologue, came unshakeable pride in defeating those bastards! At least til the next time…
In between actual hell runs you get really cool skill checks that can aid your next venture if completed. These Torments give you sigils that have 3 tier rank ups which unlocks as you traverse the various Hells. Some of them are pretty simple as you’d expect but the time limit and locked loadout or specific way of killing enemies can REALLY hold you back! I haven’t unlocked all of them yet but they can certainly help later in the game as the enemies rank up to Siege, Shield and a whole host of other nasties that equal yours!
THAT FINAL BOSS CAN GET FUCKED
I knew The Red Judge fight would be cool…. wow, what an understatement! The sheer SIZE of this thing… I know you shouldn’t talk about the proportions of a lady but BLIMEY SHE’S BIG! Even the cutscene had me reeling and looking to sell my two respawns to the nearest Cambion for an escape! Bring back Seraph… all is forgiven!
On top of her absolutely blinding attacks that nearly sent my PC into Hell WITH her… (I jest, it runs really well!) She has waves of attacks in patterns that feel like Dark Souls fuckery. Not only that, she’s got bloody PHASES!? While the glowing eyes and body parts are fantastic for crit spot identification as an accessibility feature, they’re also pretty scary when you’re clinging to the seat of hell fighting for your life! THEN THERE ARE MORE ASPECTS! JUST when you think she’s down…. her putrefying posse come to her aid!
The Red Judge is a REAL test of all I’ve learnt in the game so far and I can tell you, I’m not up to it yet… but I WILL see that bitch on her knees! Ha! Do I respect her? Hate ger? FANCY her? Probably all three.
ENCORE
The rhythm aspect of this game is really fun and in VR, which IS a thing, I think it could be even more exciting, I have to try that. What surprised me though was how drawn into the story I became, how much this game feels like an FPS just as MUCH as a rhythm game, it’s not gimmicky, it feels like it would make some really cool stories in other media too.
The soundtrack is incredible and the way you build it as you go means there is REAL excitement when you hear these kickass vocalists come in as the icing on the cake. Each vocalist and track made gameplay feel bigger and more epic and I’ve been humming a lot of it, I really hope they’ve released the songs separately too! There are expansions to the game to add more tracks and I really hope this keeps happening as there are so many artists that I’d love to slash and dash along to!
So…. was it worth it, all just for Unknown to learn to ger her voice back? Could she have lived a happier life in mute? I say BRING IT ON! I’m ready to try that boss fight again already!
PLAYER TWO: What game made you fall in love with a soundtrack as much as the gameplay?
Metal:Hellsinger:
https://www.metalhellsinger.com
Metal: Hellsinger on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1061910/Metal_Hellsinger/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLslJuCwxznH8gZ2mmPSZlxmrV5tObF_qQ
Metal: Hellsinger is a game I respected more than liked. The soundtrack is un-fucking-believable (and it was great to hear Mikael Stanne outside of Dark Tranquillity for change, his re-occuring boss song is great) and the game definitely has some fun to be had, but as it wore on I enjoyed it significantly less.
Part of it was the difficulty of the back half basically meant that, until you get good, get ready to listen to a whole lot of drum & bass and not much else lol
Still, a big achievement, and I even bought the dlc even though I didn't plan on playing it.